Sanity
by Demona Evernight
Summary: The human soul blessed her with her hand Death's son must make a stand Tempered through grief and strife Only he can save her life Madness grips her daughter too tight Threatening to smother her light Yet if love proves true there is hope still For if Death's son won't save her there are none who will -Rated M just in case
1. Ink

I do not own any one from the Percy Jackson series cause if I did Nico would get a lot more hugs...poor guy really need em

* * *

Black ink dripped from stained fingers onto a tarp, most likely placed by another camper, that protected the wooden floors from receiving the same fate as the one who's hands and fingers were coated in, most likely, permanent black splotches. Pools and splotches of wet and dry black ink and paint coated the tarp leaving one to wonder what the original color may have been once upon a time. Those stained hands lead to deathly pale wrists where the persons sleeves had been pushed back in a futile hope of keeping the garment they wore from being equally stained, needless to say that it was a wasted effort if the shirt had once been any color other than black it was no longer evident. Fragile wrists lead to slim arms ending in slight shoulders, bony and thin as though they weren't eating enough and they hunched inwards as though they were trying to make themselves as small as possible, as though they were trying to hide from things no one else could see. Black curly hair, that had not seen a brush for god's know long, spilled over the figures shoulders down to sharp elbows. It was only this that helped define the figure's gender for the sheer lack of care had drastically reduced their weight and they swam in the overly large clothes that they refused to wear anything other than.

Unseeing dark eyes darted back and forth as delicate long fingers brushed gently, almost tenderly, over white paper. No one knew what her name had originally been, or even if she had a name though they assumed she had, she was far too gone in her madness by then to do much more than allow them to give her this one place, this sanctuary that held her and hid her. A dark prison and protective tower all in one. It was unusual of the Roman's to be so soft, even to one of their own, but she was a special case. The only living child of her mother, a prophecy, and a good deal of pity, were the only things keeping her there. After all even they could not cast her out to die, even Romans weren't so cruel.

Her guard for the early morning sat in a chair in the corner sharpening their blades and cleaning their armor, don't be confused the guard was not to make sure she didn't escape, but to make sure that she did not hurt herself or others in one of her more violent...fits. So long as there was black ink for her to dye her skin in and paper to plaster on her walls she was mostly content there were only a few times were she could not be consoled and had to be restrained until that time passed.

The called her Duana, an Irish name...her accent long forgotten from a time when she once was able to speak made them believe she hailed from there once...it meant coming from darkness, they chose it for one reason only, though her darkened home stained black with ink could be called the reason now, her mother was Mania goddess of death and madness and that was exactly what Duana was now. Nothing, but death and madness...for now.

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A/N: Hey I know it's been forever since I posted anything and I'm really sorry, but the ADD kinda makes it hard for me to stick with one story for long cause the next thing I know I've gotten an idea for a scene for another story and I just get so excited that I completely forget about what I was suppose to be working on I promise I will try really hard to stick with this one though!

P.S. I am in denial that Nico is gay, ok ok ok I KNOW I KNOW he's gay I get it I have no problem with it, but it's just it's NICO! I love the guy and it breaks my heart he bats for the other team TT_TT so Imma ignore that and pretend he's Bi... (ie I'm making him bi so tough titties guys)


	2. Why me?

Still don't own Percy Jackson...damn :( Quick little side note I am looking for a Beta! I know I've never asked for one before, but I figure if I maybe have someone to help bounce ideas off of maybe I won't get stuck so much and will have someone to help me focus on one story at a time better. PM me if you're interested!

* * *

Nico Di Angelo was a man of his word, or at least he would like to think of himself that way, so when he had told Jason he was going to leave after the war with Gaea was over he meant it. As the other surviving half-bloods began the celebrations Nico had finished packing a bag with all the things he wanted to take from his cabin and had his favorite aviator jacket, and skull ring on, and his Stygian Iron sword strapped around his waist. He almost made it too, he was almost to the camp boarders when he ran into the camps one and only Oracle.

"Where are you going Nico?" Rachel Dare asked tilting her head slightly in confusion

Nico didn't know how to answer the girl and before he could come up with some kind of excuse or convince her to let him go Rachel's eyes flashed green and the green smoke of the Oracle of Delphi enveloped her.

" _Darkness the Fates have chosen for death_ _  
_

 _Only an Angel can save her last breath_

 _Hope and Light given should you except_

 _The outcome will not be what you expect_

 _But be warned should you leave her to her fate_

 _You will come to regret it much too late"_

No, no, no, no, no. This isn't what he wanted. This isn't what he need right now. Hasn't he done enough already? Hasn't he suffered for the gods already? Was this some kind of sick joke? Did the Fates enjoy tormenting him so much that they couldn't just leave him with the little peace he could find in solitude? Why him? Why did it have to be him to save some random girl?

"What...what did I say this time?" Rachel asked as she swayed had held to her head as though that could somehow steady her

"Pretty sure you just spouted a prophecy about Nico again, but I have no idea who else it's about." one of the last, if not _thee last_ , voice Nico wanted to hear right now the very person he wanted to be running from right now had somehow followed behind him

The Fates really did hate him...didn't they?

* * *

The Big House was much more cramped and crowded then Nico could ever remember it being as all gods and goddesses minor or not were squished together and the now too small ping pong table. Ever since the end of the war where everyone got their own cabin no matter who their godly parent was each was also given a spot on the "counsel". All to promote fairness.

The roar of twenty or more demi-gods all talking at once was deafening and he didn't see it quieting down anytime soon.

"SHUT IT!" Clarisse LaRue, Daughter of Ares, finally bellowed having most likely lost her temper when nothing was actually being said or done about the current sitcuation

Immediate silence followed her yell, no one at camp wanted to face a child of Ares, let alone an angry one.

"Thank you Clarisse. Let us begin shall we." Chiron brought the demi-gods to order "As you may or may not know a prophecy has been given and it is not entirely clear as to whom it is referring. Percy you also heard the prophecy did you not? If you would not mind repeating it I'm sure together we may be able to hopefully shed some light on the subject."

"Rachel said 'Darkness the Fates have chosen for an Angel can save her last breath. Hope and Light given should you except. The outcome will not be what you expect, But be warned should you leave her to her fate. You will come to regret it much too late.' and I can only guess that the Angel mentioned is Nico." Percy repeated slowly making sure he got it right word for word

"It makes sense in previous prophecies about him they've called him that cause of his last name." Rachel agreed

"But I'd like to know who Darkness is? It's obviously a girl, but there aren't any half-blood children of Nyx or Erebus." Annabeth suggested her brows furrowed as she thought

"Maybe it's referring to her name the same way it does Nico? or maybe it's a demi-god we haven't found yet?" Leo Valdez joked a wide smile across his face

"Maybe." Annabeth mumbled still focused on whatever thoughts she was chasing in her head

"Either way we know the outcome should Nico fail or decline this quest. Whoever this girl is...she'll die." Clarisse bit in blunt as ever


End file.
